Ladder.



PATENTED MAR. 28,- 1905. U. M. MALLORY.

LADDER. APPLIOATION TILED APR.25.1904.-

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Patented March 28, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. MALLORY, OF ALBION, NEW YORK. V

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,901, dated March 28, 1905.

Application filed April 25, 1904. Serial No. 204,838.

To (LZZ whom. it near/y 007m Be it known that I, GHARLEs M. MALLoRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albion, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Ladder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ladders, and more particularly to those which have their side rails trussed or strengthened by means of one or more metallic strands.

My objects are to produce a lighter, more durable, cheaper, and stronger ladder than has heretofore been possible.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, consisting of one sheet, in which like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several figures, Figure 1 is an enlarged elevation of the end portions of one of my side rails. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the lower end of one of my side rails, showing the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the edges of my side rails. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of my ladder complete. Fig. 5 is a representation of my tension-bolt.

1 1 are the side rails, and 2 represents the rungs, of my ladder. At the lower ends of the side rails 1 are secured shoes 3, which are made, preferably, of metal and are provided with brackets or lugs 4, against which the lower ends of my side rails 1 rest. The shoes 3 have also side plates 5, which extend any suitable and convenient distance upwardly along the sides of the side rails 1, and these said plates 5 are suitably secured to the said side rails by means of bolts 6 or in any other convenient Way. Upon the upper ends of the side rails 1 are secured side plates 7 and 7, which extend a suitable distance downwardly along the side rails 1 and are secured thereto by means of bolts 8 or otherwise, as desired. The side plates 7 and 7 extend upwardly above said side rails 1 sufficiently far so that a grooved roller 9 may be conveniently journaled therein, as shown at 10, and have suflicientspaee within which to revolve.

In the shoes .3 is provided a free space 11,

below the lugs or brackets 4. Through the,

shoes 3 and through the free spaces 11 are passed my tension-bolts 12. The heads 13 of the said bolts 12 are square and are adapted to fit into the square holes 14 in the lower ends of the shoes 3. The opposite ends 15 of the said bolts 12 are round and are adapted to y fit into the holes 16 in the shoes 3. The tension-bolts 12 should be of sufficient length so that the nut 17 will hold the said bolts 12 in the holes 13 and 16 even when the square head 13 is withdrawn from the hole 14 sufliciently far so that the said head is free from the said hole 14. The said bolts 12 are provided with holes 18, in which the end of a metallic wire or strand 19 is adapted to be secured; This hole 18 is so placed that the wire 19 when twisted around the said bolt 12 two or three turns is held in the center of the edge of the side rails 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The two ends of the said metallic wires or strands 19 are anchored, as described, in the tensionbolts 12 and preferably passed in grooves made on each edge of the side rails 1, along the edges thereof, and over the grooved rollers 9. It is apparent that other means than grooves in the said side rails may be employed for keeping the said metallic strands or wires in their proper positionsuch, for example, as staples. In applying my said metallic strands or wires 19 to my ladder I secure one end of each wire to one of the tension-bolts 12 and then pass it along one edge of one of the side rails and over the grooved roller 9. It is then passed along the opposite edge of the same side rail and secured to the opposite tension-bolt 12. The wire as thus placed in position is rather loose, and I secure the proper tension for it by pushing the square head 13 of the tensionbolt 12 free from the hole 14 and then twisting the bolt 12 by means of a wrench or otherwise until the wire 19 is wound about the bolt 12 two or three turns, when the square head 13 is forced into the hole 14 and the bolt 12 is securely held in place by means of the nut 17. I secure the final desired tension on the wire 19 by twisting it in like manner about the opposite tension-bolt 12.

It is apparent that with the construction above described as the ladder bends the metallic strand or wire 19 being free to travel over the roller 9 will follow the bend thereof and will be kept at a uniform tension throughout its length. With this construction I do not in any way weaken the side rails by cutting away portions thereof, but am enabled to use much lighter and smaller side rails than heretofore has been possible, because I add to their strength the additional strength of what is practically two wires. These metallic wires or strands of course may be made of any convenient and suitable size.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. As an article of manufacture, a ladder, comprising, in combination with side rails and rungs, two metallic strands each one of which extends freely along two opposite edges of one of said side rails and has its ends rigidly secured at one of the ends of one of said side rails and has its medial portion passed freely over the other end of one of said side rails, and means secured at one of the ends of each of said side rails for adjusting the tension on said metallic strands.

2. As an article of manufacture a ladder comprising, in combination with side rails and rungs, shoes, provided with free spaces in their lower ends, secured to one of the ends of each of said side rails, inside brackets in said shoes and above said free spaces, tensionbolts passing through said free spaces on each side of said shoes, rollers suitably secured and journaled at the opposite ends of said side rails, and metallic strands, suitably secured to said tension-bolts passing over said rollers and along the edges of said side rails.

3. As an article of manufacture a ladder comprising, in combination with side rails and rungs, shoes, provided with free spaces in their lower ends, secured to one of the ends of each of said side rails, tension-bolts passing from the said free spaces on each side of said shoes, rollers suitably secured and journaled at the opposite ends of said side rails, metallic strands suitably secured to said tensionbolts passing over said rollers and along the edges of said side rails, and suitable means for securing the desired tension on said metallic strands.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two witnesses. CHARLES M. MALLORY. Witnesses:

S. BROWN, E. R. BAILEY. 

